Alice Vale Brixton has always dreamt of one thing in her life: freedom. But how can she gain freedom when her real identity haunts her reality?
(R-18)
***
Twenty-five-year-old Alice Vale Brixton has lived her life in complete secrecy. She couldn't j...
Oops! Ang larawang ito ay hindi sumusunod sa aming mga alituntunin sa nilalaman. Upang magpatuloy sa pag-publish, subukan itong alisin o mag-upload ng bago.
♤♡◇♧
"OKAY lang ba 'yon?" tanong ni Ysiquel paglingon kay Alice.
Rather than giving him an answer, Alice slid herself to relax her back on the bench. May ilang bata na nagtatakbuhan sa kanilang harapan na malalapad ang ngiti. Mukhqng magkakapatid at talagang magkakalapit sa isa't isa. It was the picture of a strong bond with pure innocence from the harsh world. The scene was nostalgic to Alice.
Maraming pagkakataon na may madadaanan silang mga playground at masayang naglalaro ang mga bata. The young her would always end up jealous and disheartened.
"I was eight noong una kong malaman ang tungkol sa totoo kong pagkatao... na ampon pala talaga ako ni uncle," panimula ni Alice.
"Na-curious lang ako dahil laging sinasabi nung isang maid na kamukha ko raw si Mom Ysabelle. I told her it was imposible since 'di ko naman siya kilala tapos sinabi ko 'yon kay uncle. Sabi ni uncle hindi 'yon totoo. He just had that stoic face and I felt the atmosphere changed but I didn't want to think too much about it. Wag ko na raw itatanong muli ang tungkol do'n. The next day, that maid disappeared from the manor. And I never, ever, saw her again."
Alice felt comfortable telling everything to her twin brother. Sa palagay niya ay kahit hindi sila ganoon katagal nagkasama, nandoon ang bond nila bilang kambal na magkarugtong na mula noong una.
Tahimik lamang na nakikinig si Ysiquel sa kanyang kakambal, kapwa pinapanood ang mga batang naglalaro. "I went to uncle's room to check kung nasaan na siya kasi I finished training earlier that day pero sa halip na si uncle ang nakita ko, mga dokumento ang nakakalat sa mesa niya at puno ng mga litrato niyo. There was even a family tree drawn up which had everyone's names and lines pointing in several directions. At sa dulo nito, nandoon ang picture ko at may dalawang pangalan. Alice Vale ang nasa taas at Kylien Cess naman ang may cross-out sa ilalim. The young me was utterly confused kasi picture ko 'yon, e. So, paano? Anong connection, 'di ba? Hindi ko pa naiintindihan ang nangyayari noon. Naisip ko nga ang cute ng names kasi halatang pinag-isipan ang mga pangalan," she chuckled.
"I chose not to say anything. I just started learning self-defence that time at parte no'n ang hindi agad pagtitiwala sa iba. Hindi ko alam kung sino ang puwede kong tanungin. Hindi ko alam kung sino ang kakampi at kalaban. I needed to be careful but I needed to know the truth... badly. Hanggang sa nakilala ko ang sarili ko at kung sino ang puwede kong pagkatiwalaan mula sa loob..."
"...and that's when I understood that I was being held captive since I was born. Kahit papaano, nagpapasalamat ako kasi binuhay ako ni uncle kahit na premature ako. Kahit na ang daming pagkakataon na puwede niya akong isantabi na lang, he made me live."
"Even though it was to take your own family down?" takang tanong ni Ysiquel.
"Yes," walang pagdadalawang-isip na sagot ni Alice. "I know that he was just using my existence to fulfil the plan of revenge for years but that meant my life had value. Kahit na sa paghihiganti ito, may dahilan ang buhay ko... At siguro kung ikaw ang nakuha sa halip na ako, baka ikaw ang nagkukuwento ngayon nito sa 'kin, 'di ba?" Ngumiti si Alice nang mapakla.
